PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Bridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Corleone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Corleone has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Bridge
vs
Corleone

175 cm
25
185 lbs
16 - 11 - 1

181 cm
23
185 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, John Bridge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Corleone!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Corleone tries to clinch but Bridge moves out of range.
Corleone fails with the takedown
and Corleone takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Corleone tries to clinch up.
Bridge throws a nice head kick!
Corleone closes the distance but Bridge moves to the side
and Bridge counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Corleone is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Bridge throws a head kick but Corleone moves out of range.

Bridge instigates a clinch.
Bridge keeps control of Corleone as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Bridge breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Corleone wants to clinch but Bridge slips to the side

and Bridge counters by clinching up.
Corleone tries a body shot but Bridge blocks it.
Bridge is trying to break the clinch but Corleone has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bridge prevents a takedown attempt there.
Corleone digs a right hand underneath Bridge's ribcage. Bridge let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Bridge escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A low kick from Bridge is predictable there

and Corleone moves into the clinch.
Corleone goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bridge prevents it.
John Bridge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Corleone.

Bridge pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Corleone shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Bridge is trying to defend but Corleone finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Corleone stops Bridge from getting back to his feet.
Corleone is trying to control. Bridge wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Corleone seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bridge is trying to stand.
Corleone is looking to advance position but Bridge won't allow it.

Corleone is working for a kimura but Bridge is defending it quite comfortably.
Corleone wants to pass to mount but Bridge is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bridge's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

Corleone goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Bridge turns into him and now he's in Corleone's guard.
Corleone has a closed guard, preventing Bridge from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Corleone escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bridge gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Corleone is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Corleone looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bridge trying to stand up but can't free himself from Corleone's guard.
Corleone looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Bridge will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bridge's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Corleone takes the fight into the clinch.
Corleone has had enough of the clinch but Bridge keeps him there for the moment.
A hook to the body from Corleone.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bridge.

Corleone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Corleone shoots in looking for a takedown but Bridge manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Corleone's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Corleone moves in looking to clinch but Bridge pushes him off.
Bridge fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Corleone rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bridge makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Bridge stalks Corleone and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Corleone's face. Corleone staggers backwards, shaken.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Corleone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bridge just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bridge tries to break the clinch but Corleone is controlling the position.
Corleone is working for takedown but Bridge is calmly controlling the position for now.
John Bridge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Corleone.
Corleone pushes Bridge back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Corleone breaks from the clinch.
A head kick by Bridge misses

and Corleone moves into the clinch.

Bridge jumps guard.
Corleone throws a strike but Bridge rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bridge preventing the sweep.

Bridge gets to his feet - Corleone follows without any prompting.

Corleone closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Corleone tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Bridge.
Bridge looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bridge is refusing to be controlled, as Corleone sits in half guard.
Bridge avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Corleone.

Corleone decides to return to a standing position.
Corleone with a poor takedown
and Bridge counters with a head kick.
Bridge misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Corleone darts in trying to clinch
and Bridge counters with a head kick. That will keep Corleone thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Corleone shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bridge sprawls well. Bridge wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Corleone gets slowly back to his feet.
Bridge takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Corleone thows a leg kick but Bridge checks it

and Bridge counters by clinching up.
Bridge wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Corleone has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Corleone misses with a body punch.
Corleone can't find room to land a body shot as Bridge controls the action.

Bridge breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Corleone misses with the combination.
Corleone chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Corleone looks to clinch
and Bridge counters with a nice uppercut.
Bridge slaps away a takedown attempt from Corleone, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Corleone tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bridge paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Corleone moves in looking to clinch but Bridge pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that John Bridge will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Bridge throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bridge slaps away a takedown attempt from Corleone, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Corleone tries to clinch but Bridge moves away
and Bridge makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Bridge avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Corleone tries to clinch but Bridge is having none of it.
Corleone misses with a takedown attempt
and Bridge counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bridge lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bridge.
Sloppy strikes from Bridge. Those never looked like landing.
Bridge misses with a head kick.
Corleone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Corleone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Bridge counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
John Bridge has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Corleone.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Corleone pulls guard effortlessly.
Bridge wants to get up but he can't break Corleone's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Corleone manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bridge trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bridge is squirming around, avoiding Corleone's attempts to control the action.
John Bridge is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Corleone is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Bridge to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Bridge shrugs it off.
The referee warns Bridge that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Corleone misses with some ground and pound and Bridge recovers position to half guard.
Corleone prevents Bridge from standing back up.

Bridge is defending against the submission attempts here by Corleone.

Corleone is working for a kimura but Bridge is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Corleone is working for a submission of some sort.
Corleone sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bridge defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Corleone landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Corleone is trying to control. Bridge wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Corleone thows a huge punch but Bridge dodges it nicely.
Corleone wants to get back to his feet.
Bridge pushes Corleone off looking to stand but Corleone dives back in and keeps control.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Bridge showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bridge, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Bridge!